2 record-setting Russian cosmonauts, US astronaut return to Earth
A handout still image taken from a handout video provided by the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos press-service shows the undocking of Soyuz MS-25 with participants of the 70th and 71st long-term expeditions, cosmonauts of the Roscosmos State Corporation Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, who spent a year on the International Space Station, as well as NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Sept. 23, 2024. (EPA/Roscosmos Handout)
by Deutsche Presse-Agentur - dpa
Sep 23, 2024 5:28 pm


Two record-setting Russian cosmonauts, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub and American astronaut Tracy Dyson came back to the Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday.

The trio landed on the Kazakh steppe at around 5 p.m. (1200 GMT).

Before their departure, Kononenko handed over command of the ISS to Sunita Williams of the United States. Despite geopolitical tensions, Russia and the U.S. continue to cooperate on the ISS.

NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson holds a traditional Russian Matryoshka wooden doll depicting her, shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-25 capsule in a remote area near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. Two Russian cosmonauts, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub who spent 374 days in low-Earth orbit at the ISS, the longest time anybody has ever stayed on the station in a continuous stint, landed back on Earth on Sept. 23, 2024. (EPA/Roscosmos Handout)
Rescue team members helping Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko exit the Soyuz MS-25 space capsule shortly after landing southeast of the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 23, 2024. (EPA/Roscosmos Handout)

Kononenko and Chub spent 374 days in orbit - the longest anyone has ever stayed on the ISS during a single flight. They broke the record on Friday. The two cosmonauts arrived there on Sept. 15, 2023.

During his stay in space, Kononenko smashed another record: As it was his fifth mission, the 60-year-old has now spent more time in space than anyone else. He is the only person to have spent over 1,000 days in space.

It was Dyson's third spaceflight. For the current mission, she has been on the ISS since March - more than 180 days.

Edited By: Nurbanu Tanrıkulu Kızıl